Recipe - Nightingales Nests

SYRUP
1 One half cup Sugar
1 cup Water
2 teaspoon Fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoon Orange flower water

FILLING
One half cup Finely chopped blanched
almonds; (about 2 1/2
ounces)
One half cup Finely chopped unsalted
pistachios; (about 2 1/2
ounces)
2 tablespoon Sugar

PASTRIES
12 Sheets fresh phyllo pastry
or frozen; thawed
Three fourths cup ( 1 One half sticks) unsalted
butter; melted
One half cup Chopped unsalted pistachios;
(about 2 One half ounces)

Antalya is known for its oranges. Wherever they are grown in abundance, the
blossoms are distilled into orange flower water. This fragrant liquid
flavors the syrup that is drizzled over these nutfilled spiral phyllo
pastries. The name comes from their shape and the notion that some people's
idea of heaven is listening to nightingales. Serve them with strawberries
and whipped cream for an elegant presentation. Orange flower water is a
flavoring extract which is available at liquor stores and in the liquor or
specialty foods sections of some supermarkets nationwide.

FOR SYRUP: Combine sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over
mediumlow heat until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice and boil until
mixture is syrupy, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons
orange flower water.

FOR FILLING: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. (Syrup and filling can
be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover separately and store at room temperature.)

FOR PASTRIES: Cover phyllo with dry towel, then damp towel. Let stand 30
minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. Place 1 phyllo
sheet with long side parallel to edge of work surface; keep remaining
phyllo sheets under towels. Brush half of phyllo lengthwise with butter.
Fold in half lengthwise. Brush phyllo with butter. Sprinkle 4 teaspoons and
mixture in narrow strip One half inch from folded edge of pastry, leaving
1/2inch border at short ends. Fold long 1/2inch border over filling. Fold
short ends over filling, then roll up lengthwise as for jelly roll, leaving
2 inches of unfilled pastry exposed. Starting from 1 short end, roll pastry
loosely as for jelly roll. Tuck 2inch pastry edge under and toward center,
forming bottom of nest and flattening slightly. Place bottom side down on
prepared sheet. Repeat filling and rolling with remaining phyllo sheets.

Bake pastries until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool pastries on
baking sheets on racks 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, loosen pastries from
sheets. Drizzle each pastry with 1 tablespoon syrup. Cool completely.
(Pastries can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and store at room
temperature.)

Arrange pastries on plates. Sprinkle each with 2 teaspoons pistachios.
Drizzle with remaining syrup.

Makes 12

Bon Appétit May 1995

Posted to recipeludigest by Sandy sandysno@pctech.net on Feb 26, 1998